Ex-chief Deputy Sentenced On Worthless Check Charges

SANFORD — Leigh O. McEachern, a former Orange County chief deputy, was sentenced to 60 days in jail Thursday after he pleaded guilty in Seminole County Court to a worthless check charge.

McEachern, 48, of 1255 Snow Hill Road, Chuluota, also was sentenced to concurrent one-year terms of probation after pleading no contest to two charges of obtaining property with a worthless check.

A third check charge was dropped.

McEachern was convicted in 1980 of stealing up to $200,000 from the Orange County Sheriff's Office investigative fund during the six years he served as chief deputy to Sheriff Mel Colman. After serving 33 months of a 10-year prison term, McEachern was released in August 1983.